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Case Report: Management of Recurrent Ovarian Squamous Cell Carcinoma With PD-1 Inhibitor
Xiao-Chen Song1, Yong-Xue Wang1, Mei Yu1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics & Gynecologic Diseases, Beijing, China.
Frontiers in Oncology
|March 31, 2022
Summary
Ovarian squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arising from mature cystic teratomas is rare. A recurrent case showed a PIK3CA gene variation and high PD-L1 expression, responding well to chemotherapy and PD-1 immunotherapy.
Area of Science:
- Gynecologic Oncology
- Oncogenesis
- Immunotherapy
Background:
- Ovarian mature cystic teratomas (OMCT) rarely undergo malignant transformation into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
- Management of recurrent ovarian SCC presents challenges, with underlying genetic drivers often unclear.
- Understanding genetic mutations and biomarkers is crucial for effective treatment strategies.
Observation:
- A patient with recurrent ovarian SCC originating from an OMCT was identified.
- The tumor exhibited a PIK3CA gene variation.
- Immunohistochemical analysis revealed programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression exceeding 10%.
Findings:
- The patient received platinum-based chemotherapy combined with programmed death 1 (PD-1) immunotherapy.
- Clinical remission was achieved following this treatment regimen.
- This suggests a potential therapeutic benefit of PD-1 blockade in this specific subset of ovarian SCC.
Implications:
- This case highlights the PIK3CA gene variation as a potential factor in ovarian SCC development or progression.
- High PD-L1 expression may predict response to PD-1 immunotherapy in recurrent ovarian SCC.
- Further research into genetic mutations and immunotherapy targets is warranted for rare ovarian malignancies.

